


Unleashed

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Drama, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-17
Updated: 2007-01-17
Packaged: 2019-02-02 07:41:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12722406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: An alien virus infects the team.





	Unleashed

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

  
Author's notes: Written as a response to the October Halloween challenge on the Ancient Obsessions list.  
  
Feedback is always welcome and appreciated!  


* * *

“No.”

“Daniel.”

“No, Jack, I _don’t_ need a babysitter. I _do_ need you to go home.” Daniel stood holding the door open for Jack.

“You _do_ need a babysitter.” Damn, he hadn’t meant to say that. 

Daniel was now waving his hand shooing Jack out the door. “I didn’t mean it that way Daniel,” Jack said moving reluctantly to the door. “I feel bad leaving you alone when you’re sick.”

“I’m fine.” Daniel said through clogged sinuses. “I have a cold not the plague. Go away and let me go to bed.” 

“It’s Halloween. How are you going to sleep with a whole bunch of kids banging on the door?” Jack asked.

“I’ll turn out all the lights and pretend I’m not home,” Daniel answered. “But I can’t do that until you leave.”

Jack gave deep sigh. Some days Daniel was a mystery. He didn’t mind staying, really he didn’t. It wasn’t like he was doing anything this evening except handing out candy to a bunch of trick-or-treaters and he could do that just as well here as at home. That way they could take care of each other. He thought after more than four years together, they’d finally taught Daniel that families looked after one another and if one of them was sick or hurt, the others were there to help. 

Tonight, for instance, Teal’c was staying with Carter in the infirmary, and Jack was supposed to be staying with Daniel. They’d all come back a little banged and bruised from their last mission. Nothing too serious: Jack had wrenched his knee, Carter had a sore shoulder and a mild concussion (which was why Janet was keeping her overnight), and Daniel had some pulled muscles and a nasty cold. The fact that Janet had let him come home didn’t mean that he should be staying by himself. Which was why Jack was now standing at the door of Daniel’s house arguing with him.

“Come on, Daniel,” Jack wheedled. “I’ll stay in the spare bedroom and you won’t even know I’m here.”

“Then what would be the point of your _being_ here?”

“What?” 

“Never mind, Jack. Just…go home.”

“You’re sure?”

“Sure.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Positive?”

“Out!”

“Okay, if you’re—“

The door shut quietly but firmly behind him. 

Jack walked to the truck slowly, favoring his left leg and trying not to feel disappointed—or insulted. He’d really been counting on staying at Daniel’s tonight. They should be sitting on the couch eating Halloween candy and taking turns answering the door to a bunch of little kids in costumes. Daniel would get ice for Jack’s sore knee, and Jack would pass Daniel the Ben Gay for his aching muscles and tissues for his runny nose. A normal night for SG-1’s finest. He even planned to call Carter later on to tell her ghost stories. Now, because Daniel didn’t want his company, he was on his way home to spend the evening alone. Annoyed and a little worried, Jack pulled the truck out of the driveway.

The ride home gave Jack time to think. The mission to P2X 779 had been a strange one. The abandoned temple that Daniel was so keen to study could have done double duty as a Halloween haunted house. The towering structure stood alone on the edge of a steep ravine. Old, dusty, and filled with alien cobwebs, it’s echoing chambers told the story of a people long gone to what Daniel described as a planet-wide madness. They’d been struck down by a disease so virulent, it had decimated an entire civilization. They'd left the last words of a dying race carved on the crumbling walls of a holy place. Even Daniel, usually the purposeful, analytical archaeologist, felt the oppressive gloom of the building. According to him, the words “The truth unleashed here will kill us. Save us, all!” were the last written by a scribe of a doomed race. 

Jack shivered.

Absently, he watched the clouds form outside. The kids traipsing around for Halloween candy were going to need to hurry if they wanted to beat the encroaching storm. From the look of it, the rain wasn’t far off. Jack’s musings turned back to Daniel’s behavior on P2X 779, another kind of storm, this one totally unexpected. 

_“Let's go, Daniel. Time's a-wastin'!” Jack spent the entire morning of their last day planetside running errands for one very short-tempered archaeologist Understanding that Daniel wanted to finish crating the artifacts in the temple, Jack stowed the gear on the MALP, collected Daniel's notes, hauled more packing material into the central chamber, and took pictures of the exterior of the building. He even brought Daniel a fresh cup of coffee only to have the archaeologist tip over the cup, and then snap his head off for messing up his notes and interrupting him._

_Jack was used to most of Daniel's moods. When he was wrapped up in cataloging a site like this, he tended to work himself hard. There were always time constraints--that went with the job--and Daniel always moaned and groaned that he wasn't done and needed more time. But he never took out his frustration on his teammates--never took it out on Jack--until now. Jack did his best to ignore the barbed comments Daniel made. When he couldn’t stand it anymore, he sent Carter in to relieve him._

_Daniel and Carter were practically brother and sister. If anyone could get Daniel out of his black mood it would be Carter. She was a scientist like Daniel, a kindred spirit, a sympathetic ear. Jack recognized that sometimes Daniel needed to talk to someone who understood him, and sometimes Jack wasn't it. A quick conversation with Carter, another cup of good coffee, and his friendship would be back to his old self. Or so he thought until he overheard them talking._

_“Daniel, you done yet?” Sam asked._

_“I need to finish this videotaping.”_

_“If I give you a hand, will you help me analyze all the sample vials when we get back to the base?” Sam asked jokingly, trying to keep the mood light._

_“If that’s the price I have to pay to get out of here, then yes,” Daniel answered shortly._

_“You?” Sam said in amazement. “You want to leave early?”_

_“The people here are dead, killed by some stupid virus. What's to stay for?”_

_She walked up and gave Daniel a sharp poke in the arm._

_“Ow! What was that for?”_

_“I’m just checking to see if you’re the real Daniel Jackson.”_

_“How does leaving a bruise on my arm help?”_

_“Well,” Sam said with a forced laugh, “I figured you’d complain like the real Daniel Jackson.”_

_Rubbing his arm angrily Daniel asked, “Did I pass the test?”_

_“Yasureyoubetcha,” Sam said._

_“Who’s stealing my lines?” Jack asked ducking through the small opening. “Carter, are you making fun of your commanding officer?”_

_“Of course not, Sir,” Sam said with assurance. “I would never do that, dontchaknow.”_

_“Performance reviews are just around the corner, Carter.” Jack glared good-naturedly at his second in command. Seeing Carter’s grin, he turned to Daniel. “So, what’s it going to take to get us out of here in time to get back for trick-or-treating? I've got my costume all laid out on my bed. I think I'm going for the man in black look, cape and all.” He glanced at his archaeologist expecting to get some snarky comeback about Jack’s love of juvenile pastimes—especially Halloween. Nothing. Daniel simply stared at the wall of tomb in front of him, lips pressed tightly together._

_Jack glanced at Carter who was watching Daniel with a perplexed expression on her face. She cocked her head to indicate that she wanted to see her CO outside._

_“What’s up with him?” Jack asked once they were outside and out of earshot._

_“I don’t know, Sir. He’s been short-tempered all day.” She looked over her shoulder at the door to the temple. “He wants to leave.”_

_“Daniel?” He looked at Carter in surprise. “I thought he was kidding. Daniel doesn’t leave a dig until somebody starts shooting at him.”_

_“I’m sure, Sir. He’s been snapping at me all day. Teal’c too.”_

_“How can you snap at Teal’c? He’s a puppy dog.” He caught Carter’s look. “You know what I mean, Carter.”_

_“Yes, Sir, I do. I also know that Daniel almost yelled at Teal’c this morning when he dropped Daniel’s tools.”_

_Jack turned back to the temple thinking back over the last couple of days. When had things changed? A week ago, Daniel had been excited to go on this trip. It was an exploratory mission and Daniel had gushed over all the culturally significant artifacts they were going to find. Jack grumbled (as he usually did) about spending four days digging in the dirt, but he’d been glad to go. Carter and Daniel spent a lot time being soldiers when they were primarily scientists, and sometimes it was good for the two of them to get back to what they did best. Usually, both of them enjoyed a mission that focused on research. So why now did Daniel want to pack it in and go home a day early?_

_Jack’s musings were interrupted when Daniel stormed out of the cave._

_“Are you going to help me or not?” he demanded standing in front of Sam with his fists clenched at his side._

_Daniel’s face was red and the fury in his eyes suggested that he was about to explode. Despite his shock, Jack stepped quickly in between Daniel and Carter. His second in command could most certainly look after herself but he didn't intend to let the situation get that far._

_“Daniel?” He reached out tentatively to put a hand on Daniel’s arm. “Calm down.” He couldn't imagine what had happened to make Daniel so angry. Tired, maybe, and stressed, but not angry. “You want to tell me what's going on here?”_

_Daniel stared at the hand for a long time. He looked at Jack and then at Sam who had a stunned look on her face. He blinked his eyes slowly and stepped back._

_Jack released him still staying in between him and Carter. The look on Daniel’s face was now one of fear not anger. “Daniel?” he asked again. “You okay?”_

_“It’s happening, Jack,” he said fearfully. “It’s happening. I…I need to get out of here.” He kept backing away from Jack, stumbling away from Sam until he was almost at the edge of the ravine._

_Happening? Nothing was happening except that Daniel was behaving like a fool. Jack followed in disbelief. “What the hell are you doing?” he yelled. “Daniel!” He ran forward to grab the front of Daniel’s jacket before he could go over the edge. “Of all the stupid things--” he said shaking Daniel hard. “What kind of an idiot walks to edge of a ravine...?" He wanted to shake some sense into this guy. Such foolishness would get them all killed. He tightened his hold on Daniel pulling hard. This guy needed some sense knocked into him and Jack was just the man to do it._

_“Sir!” Now it was Carter’s turn to intercede. She stepped next to the colonel. “Sir,” she said louder. “Stop!”_

_Jack still had a fistful of Daniel’s jacket. Sam put her hand on Jack’s arm and said softly. “Something’s wrong, Sir. This isn’t normal behavior for any of us. Let go before you hurt him.”_

_Jack let go of Daniel like he’d been scalded and stared at the hand in front of him. Hurt Daniel? He’d never hurt Daniel. He’d spent the last four years doing just the opposite, trying his level best to protect Daniel. He’d never intentionally hurt any member of his team. They were his friends, his family. What had he been thinking grabbing Daniel? His best friend had almost walked off a cliff, and instead of relief that it hadn’t happened, that he'd stopped him in time, Jack was angered beyond belief._

_Sam stepped back forward pushing Jack back a step. “Are you all right, Sir?”_

_Jack nodded slowly. “What the hell was that all about?” he asked. Then he turned back to Daniel. He had some apologizing to do. “Daniel, damn, I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I just felt....” He stopped. What had he felt?_

_Daniel hadn’t said anything since Jack grabbed his jacket. He took one more hard look at Jack before he turned and walked back into the temple._

At the time, Jack had put the whole thing down to stress, exhaustion, illness, a cold _something_ that made them all short-tempered and overly sensitive to criticism. He really couldn’t put his finger on why but from that point on he knew they needed to get out of there. They packed up and, within a couple of hours, they were back on the right side of the gate.

He turned the windshield wipers on as the rain started to sprinkle. Not one to believe in intuition—that was more Daniel’s thing—he was still glad to be away from 779 and back on earth. Things would be even better if he had Daniel with him. 

The uneasy feeling kept nagging at him during his drive home. Finally, he told himself to knock it off. Members of the military didn’t believe in premonitions.

Usually. 

*************************************************

Really, Daniel thought after Jack had finally left, it was a thoughtful gesture, Jack wanting to stay, but he was quite capable of looking after himself. He had a plain, boring, ordinary, old cold. One that would require a warm cup of tea and a little Nyquil, but not one that required an overprotective air force colonel. Daniel sneezed. Might require a box of Kleenex too. It most certainly didn’t require Jack. 

Letting out a deep sigh of relief, Daniel leaned against the now locked door. At the moment, he couldn’t be around Jack. He was too humiliated by his recent failure to look Jack in the eye for any length of time, and he felt terrible--terrible in a way that had nothing to do with a killer head cold. With his head in his hands, he thought back to his deplorable behavior. He’d threatened Sam and yelled at Teal and embarrassed himself in front Jack.

He pushed himself away from the door noticing that his legs felt almost as heavy as his head. The cold had a good hold on him now and the pulled muscles in his back were sending messages to every other muscle in his body that it was okay if they hurt too. 

He was glad that Jack had left. How could he stand being around Daniel after the terrible way he’d treated him? Never, in all their years together, had Daniel yelled at Jack the way he had on this mission. He was lucky any of his teammates were speaking to him after his outrageous behavior. He’d apologized, of course, to all three of them after their return. Sam assured him that it was nothing while she gave him a one-armed hug. Her other arm was wrapped thanks to Daniel’s stupidity. How he could have put his teammates in danger that way? 

_“Come on,” Jack said softly. “It's time to head out.”_

_Daniel hung his head. Jack must saving the lecture about his stupidity until they were back at the SGC. Daniel wished Jack would do it now and get it over with. He'd screwed up again. Sam still hadn't come in to the temple after he'd yelled at her. Not that he wanted her too, really, not after his totally out-of-line behavior. Sam had only been trying to help, and Jack too. And Teal'c. God, what must Teal'c think of him? He couldn't look up._

_“I'll take this crate out to the MALP.”_

_Jack wasn't joking with him or harassing him about the mission or any of the usual things he did to pass the time. He must be really angry, Daniel thought. Looking up briefly, he saw Sam coming in to the temple. She didn't look or talk to Daniel. She bent down to take the other end of the box the colonel was trying to lift._

_Daniel bent down to pack up his tools when he heard a crash. The box containing two days worth of painstakingly excavated artifacts lay a crazy angle on the temple floor._

_“What the hell are you doing?” Daniel shouted._

_“What?” Sam looked up shaking her hand. “Sorry, Daniel. I caught my hand on a sharp edge.” She pulled her hand up to her mouth._

_“Aht, Carter,” Jack said, “don't do that. I'll get the first aid kit and put a bandage on it before you get blood on any of Daniel's precious artifacts.”_

_“Blood? You've probably broken every artifact in the box. Why worry about blood now?”_

_“Nothing's broken, Daniel,” Jack said as he rummaged around in his pack for his supplies. “I packed everything with enough padding enough to protect them against a couple of bumps.”_

_“You packed it?” Daniel could feel his hands clench and unclench, feel his face getting red. “You packed it?”_

_Jack stood slowly._

_Daniel strode forward until he stood nose to nose with Jack. “Three days I spent trying to save something from a race that no longer exists, a race no one else will remember, just to have you ruin it.”_

_Standing to face Daniel, Jack refused to back down.“Back off,” he shouted. “I've spent the last three days listening to you bitch at everybody, including me. Shout your mouth--now--or I'll shut it for you!”_

_Daniel could no longer control himself. He took both hands and pushed Jack as hard as he could. He saw the temple wall crumble as Jack hit it hard, heard Sam call out as a chunk of the wall hit her shoulder, and felt his back wrench as he was pushed to the ground by Jack falling on top of him._

Even now, he could feel his face flush in embarrassment. If it hadn't been for Teal'c's return the injuries would have been much worse. Fortunately, Teal'c got them all out of the temple and back through the Stargate without anyone else getting hurt—hurt any more. He even remembered to bring the crates of artifacts back for Daniel to study.

So, so, stupid, Daniel thought. He wanted to bang his head against the wall except that it might fall off if he did. The pressure in his head was getting worse. More than anything he wanted the comfort of his bed.

He sighed. Usually after a tough mission where one of them was hurt, he wanted the company of his team; he wanted to be together. Daniel had finally learned to appreciate the caring of his team. He liked having them around when he was injured or unwell and he liked to return the favor. Any other day listening to Jack nag at him to take his medicine or complain about his sore knee would be therapy for both of them. But not today. Today he was too ashamed to do anything other than go to bed and hide.

He stumbled to the kitchen to put the water on for a pot of tea. He wanted to be in bed before the neighborhood ghoulies and ghosties haunted his front door. As much as he normally liked Halloween, today he just wanted to be alone. He even considered taking one of the pain pills Janet had sent home with him. The congestion in his head made him feel lethargic and it was all he could do to reach for a cup in the cupboard. He hoped the steam from the tea would unclog his sinuses and the warmth of the liquid would help stop the shaking of his hands. 

The wind outside picked up swirling leaves against the patio doors. Whether it was the noise of the leaves hitting the window or the darkening of the sky outside, Daniel shivered. He wasn't superstitious, far from it, but the uneasiness he felt from reading the inscription on the temple wall had plagued him all through the mission. 

And it was still with him.

The hissing of the kettle made him jump. He poured the water carefully into the cup afraid with his trembling hands that he was going to end up dumping hot water on his bare feet. He held the cup carefully and walked stiffly down the hallway to his bedroom. He eased himself onto the bed with a sigh. His muscles were still sore from the mission; his head was still congested from his cold. He drank his tea, took his meds, and finally, slept.

*************************************************

Two hours later, Jack peered out the window of his truck trying to see the road in front of him. The rain was coming down so hard the windshield wipers couldn’t keep up with it. Damn! He slowed down. It wouldn’t help anything if he had an accident before he got back to Daniel’s. He shouldn’t have left in the first place. He should’ve stayed at Daniel’s house regardless of the complaints. He’d known when he left that something was wrong. Janet’s phone call had sent him speeding back to Daniel’s as fast as the weather would allow.

“Damn!” This time he said the thought aloud. “Damn! How did he talk me into leaving? Stupid kid! What the hell was he thinking? Of all the lamebrain, idiotic ideas--” Jack pounded the steering wheel in frustration and anger.

He gasped in surprise. It was happening to him. Janet’s concerns were now a reality. _He_ was infected with whatever strange illness Carter had, his emotions like hers out of control. The anger he felt towards Daniel was way out of proportion to the magnitude of the transgression. All he’d done was ask to be alone in his own house to battle a cold by himself. And yes, such things usually bothered Jack because he’d spent a lot of time teaching Daniel that the team stuck together, but his anger had never manifested itself this way before. The rage he felt shocked him.

He pulled over to the curb for a minute. Despite his haste to get to Daniel, he needed to get himself under control. Janet had warned him that this could happen. Carter was already in the infirmary in restraints, raving at Janet and the rest of the nursing staff, even raving at Teal’c who had chosen to stay with her. Debilitating anger—that’s what Janet had called it. Anger that overrode common courtesy and common sense. Anger that clouded your judgment--unreasonable, overwhelming anger. That was certainly what Jack was feeling now, although at the time of Janet’s call he’d been fine. He’d assured her he’d be able to get Daniel and himself back to the mountain and to the infirmary ASAP. Now he wasn’t so sure. The waves of anger washing over him right now sapped his strength and left his vision clouded. 

He took a deep breath unwinding his fingers from the steering wheel. What was he so angry about? It wasn’t the first time the team had brought home some alien virus and he imagined it wouldn’t be the last. They just needed to get back to the mountain under Janet’s tender care and they’d all be fine. Jack took another breath and checked the flow of traffic before pulling out slowly. He rearranged his shaking hands on the wheel concentrating on driving safely. The rain eased a little, thank goodness. He should be able to make it back to Daniel’s in less than ten minutes. 

Now that he was a little calmer, he felt the water trickle down his face. He'd raced to the truck in a downpour. He grabbed a couple of Kleenex from the box on the seat next to him and wiped away the moisture. The Kleenex came away covered in green paint. Jack hadn’t had time when Janet’s call came to get out of his Halloween makeup. As for the costume, he'd simply donned the huge black and red cape hooded cape now bunched up on the seat beside him. With his painted a ghostly green and gray, and the hood of his cape pulled low over his face, he'd spent the evening listening to the terrified screams of the neighborhood children. He’d even made a couple of the mothers gasp in surprise. It had been great Halloween fun marred only by Daniel’s absence.

Pulling slowly back into the sparse traffic, he wondered again what had possessed him to leave Daniel alone when he was sick? 

The house was in sight. He pulled in the driveway as the storm geared up for round two. Just as he was about to get out of the truck and make a run for the door, a brilliant bolt of lightening flashed in the sky followed almost immediately by a deafening clap of thunder. Great, Jack thought. As if he wasn’t wet enough already. Bracing himself against the onslaught of rain, he threw open the door of his truck and made a mad dash for the door.

Standing on the porch, cursing and shivering, Jack was momentarily worried to see the porch light was out. Usually, Daniel kept it on until bedtime and bedtime for Daniel was never before midnight. Then he remembered that Daniel had said he was going to bed early. He’d turned off all the lights inside and out to discourage trick-or-treaters. Hopefully, Daniel was in bed sound asleep. All Jack needed to do was to bundle Daniel into the truck and get them both back to the mountain. Even in such crappy weather, they should be in the infirmary in less than an hour. 

Knowing that Daniel wasn’t answering the door because of trick-or-treaters, Jack used his key to get in. The house was dark and quiet. He reached over to turn on the hall light surprised again when nothing happened. That last bolt of lightening must have taken out a power pole or a transformer or something. Carefully, Jack felt his way down the hall to the little entry table. Hoping that Daniel was a sensible as he was smart, Jack pulled open the drawer looking for a flashlight. Sure enough, Jack found a small flashlight in the drawer and flicked it on. 

More confidently now, Jack made his way to Daniel’s bedroom. He pushed open the door and ran a beam of light over the bed. The covers were mused, but the bed was empty. Jack let the light run to the bedside table. Daniel’s glasses were there and a half empty cup of tea. That made Jack feel better. Daniel was here somewhere and he’d felt well enough to make himself a cup of tea before bed although he as obviously sick enough that he was drinking tea instead of coffee. But where was he? Maybe he’d been in the bathroom when the power had gone out. Calling softly, Jack turned to the bathroom. The door was ajar. Jack pushed it open slowly but still no Daniel. He turned to go to the kitchen thinking Daniel might be trying to make another cup of tea. 

Flashes of lightning bathed the room in an eerie glow and then left it darker than before. Coming down the hallway to the kitchen, Jack could see the gray outline of the furniture. The patio doors leading to Daniel’s backyard were streaked with rain which continued to pound against the house. It seemed to Jack that the storm had reached its peak right here over Daniel’s house on All Hallow’s Eve intent on pouring out its malice. The lightning came in continual sheets spreading out across the sky; the thunder wavered and boomed like timpani in an orchestra. 

The kitchen was empty, the stove off. That just left the living room. Jack turned to the left to go down the two steps leading to the living room. A flash of lightening showed him the overturned coffee table and a pair of bare feet. Shit! Daniel must have come down just as the power went out and fallen in the dark. Moving quickly to Daniel’s side, he saw him sprawled face down on the rug. Pulling the table upright he rested the flashlight so that the beam would focus on Daniel’s face and checked his friend over for any injuries. Jack ran his hands carefully over Daniel’s body, unwilling to move him until he determined the extent of the injuries. It didn’t seem that anything was broken although Jack imagined there would be a few more bruises to contend with come morning. Gently, Jack turned Daniel over and patted the side of his face. He felt feverish.

“Daniel?” He patted a little harder. “Daniel? Come on buddy wake up and show me your still in there.”

Jack was beginning to think that Daniel had done more than knock himself out when he heard a moan.

“Jack?”

“Yeah, it’s me,” he said relieved. “Open your eyes and let me see what you did to yourself this time.”

Daniel opened his eyes to look at Jack. He looked up with a small smile and then pulled away, scrambling on his hands and knees wild-eyed with terror.

“Daniel?” 

“Oh, God! It’s true. I…I killed you. I dreamt you fell over the edge of the cliff. I thought it was a dream—a nightmare….Oh, God, it's true!” By now Daniel was shaking uncontrollably. He crawled as far as the edge of the kitchen counter and then curled himself up into a ball. “I didn’t mean it, Jack. God, I’m so sorry!”

Jack watched in amazement unable to move.“What the hell!” What on earth was going on! Three hours ago, Daniel had been fine. He reached out his hand to Daniel as a flash of lightening lit the room. The hand was streaked in green. Shit! The makeup on his hands and face. No wonder Daniel was freaking out. He'd seen Jack's green streaked face in the dim light and freaked out. Between the fever and the storm, Daniel’s perceptions of reality were probably suffering.

“Stay there,” Jack said. “I'll be right back.”

He ran to the bathroom to scrub the green off his face and hands, detouring by the bedroom for a blanket before he went back to the kitchen. He planned to take Daniel straight to the mountain--to Janet. She’d be able to tell if this was the same but that had infected Carter or if this was just the result of an out of control fever. 

He called for Daniel as he came into the living room. “How about we go see how Carter’s doing?” Only to find that Daniel was gone. Shit! He turned around trying to find Daniel in the light of the flashlight. He wasn’t in the kitchen or the living room. A cold gust of windshield made him turn. The patio door was open a crack. Daniel must have gone outside. 

Jack moved fast. The last thing he needed was for a sick Daniel to be wandering around the neighborhood in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Even on Halloween, he was sure to cause a commotion. A great costume, Jack thought grimly, for a feverish, delirious archaeologist Damn! What was he thinking going outside in a thunderstorm? Didn’t he realize that it was cold outside? What was he planning to do—wander around collecting Halloween candy while Jack wandered after him in the dark looking for him? Just once, Jack would like it if Daniel showed some common sense. Of all the ridiculous, thoughtless, careless things to do!

He pulled himself up short. Where had that come from? It wasn’t Daniel’s fault that the was sick. People didn’t choose to be sick. Daniel the indestructible certainly didn’t chose to be sick. So where was this coming from? Again, Jack’s anger was all out of proportion to the circumstance. Naturally, he was angry--but not at Daniel, just at the situation that put his best friend in danger again. It was like when Charlie was little. He’d run across the street chasing a ball and forgotten to check for cars. The screech of brakes had frightened Jack. He’d yelled at Charlie for several minutes before he’d realized that his anger was born of fear, a fear that something would happen to his son. 

Jack pushed down the familiar ache that came when he thought of Charlie. Getting himself under control he turned his thoughts to Daniel. He stepped through the patio door hoping the flashlight had enough power to cut through the heavy rain. The lighting had eased to occasional flashes and the thunder echoed far away. Jack was about to go back in and take the truck around the block when a flash of lightening revealed Daniel leaning against a big oak at the back of the yard. 

Jack approached cautiously. The last thing he wanted was for Daniel to bolt. With his bad knee he wasn’t sure he’d be able to catch him if he took off. Daniel didn’t seem to notice him. His eyes were closed but Jack thought he could could see the trembling, or maybe it was just the beating of the rain on the clothes. It didn't matter. Moving with a stealth attained from years of practice, he stepped behind Daniel, wrapped his arms around him and pulled him to the ground. He’d sit on him if he had to until he could get some help here. 

They hit the ground hard. Jack turned Daniel over so that he could sit on his thighs and pin his upper arms to the ground. 

Daniel struggled a minute before he looked up. 

“Jack? What are you doing? Get the hell off of me!”

“Not until I know you know who I am.” 

“What are you talking about?” Daniel struggled some more trying throw Jack off. “Move! You’re hurting me.” 

“No.”

“Damn it, Jack. Get off! Leave me alone! Why can't you just leave me alone?”

Daniel’s struggles became more intense as he tried to free himself. Finally, about the time Jack was thinking of knocking him out to get him under control, his body went limp. 

Jack peered into Daniel’s face. It was hard to tell in the dark with the rain streaming into his eyes but he thought Daniel looked more confused than angry. He waited for Daniel to say or do something. 

“Jack?”

“Yeah?”

“Where are we?”

“Where are we? You don’t know where you are?”

“Ah…no.” There was a pause as Daniel surveyed the area. “It looks familiar but everything’s blurry.” He started to pull his hand up to his eyes to check for his glasses but Jack still had his arms pinned to the ground. 

“Jack?”

“Yes, Daniel?”

“I’m wet…and cold. Wherever we are, could we go somewhere dry…and warm.”

Jack tried to assess Daniel’s mood. He didn’t know if his friend was really back or if this was just a ploy to get free and then he’d take off trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. 

Jack decided he couldn’t sit here in the rain all night. He eased his grip slightly.“If I let you up, will you stay with me and not try to run away?”

“Run away? Where would I go?” 

Jack pushed himself over to his right side stretching his sore left knee out as he did so. He hissed as the pain flared through his leg. He sat for a minute, hoping that he was right to let Daniel up because, at the moment, he sure couldn’t chase him. 

He felt Daniel’s hand on his shoulder. As he looked up, he saw a sopping wet Daniel with a concerned look on his face.

“You okay?” Daniel asked kneeling in front of Jack.

“Been better,” Jack answered. 

“You shouldn’t be sitting out in the rain in my backyard.”

“You know where you are now?”

“Well, I’m pretty sure. Things kind of came into perspective one I was upright. Although without my glasses, it’s still a best guess.”

Even in the rain, Jack could see the smile. 

“If you’ll help me up,” Jack said squinting in the rain, “I’ll make sure you make it back into the house.”

Daniel stood up fighting to keep his balance, something that didn’t escape Jack’s notice. Once he was reasonably steady on his feet, he offered Jack his hand. 

The two men, one limping and one swaying, slowly made their way inside. Once there Daniel eased Jack to the couch and sank into the chair next to him.

Relieved to be out of the rain, Jack put his head back and willed his knee to stop throbbing. He looked over at Daniel who sat with his head in his hands.

Jack leaned forward. “Danny, you okay?” 

“How did we get outside?” Daniel asked. “The last thing I remember, I was on my way to the kitchen to get something to eat, and now…” he looked down at his muddy clothes.

“You don’t remember anything else,” Jack asked, “falling over the coffee table, breaking the lamp, nothing?”

“No,” Daniel said his teeth chattering. “No…I…no…d-don’t remember.”

Shit! Jack thought. The first thing he should have done after he got Daniel safely inside, was to get him into some dry clothes. He’d been feverish before their roll in the mud. This couldn’t be good for him.

“Damn it, Daniel! Why didn’t you say something?” He pulled himself off the couch to grab the blanket he’d dropped on the floor. “You’re going to catch pneumonia like that. Can’t you, for one minute, behave like an adult. You need to get out of those wet clothes--now.” He could feel the anger building again. “How many times do I have to tell you to look after yourself?” Like on the planet and in the truck, his anger surged out of control. “I can’t leave you alone for five minutes without you getting into trouble of some kind.”

By now Daniel was standing in front of him, unsteady but equally angry.

“You’re not my damn mother,” he shouted. “I don’t need you hanging around all the time trying to run my life. I survived just fine without you for thirty-five years and I’m sure as hell I can do it now.” Daniel stood toe to toe with Jack yelling into his face. “Back off and leave me alone. I don’t need your help and I don't need your sympathy. I can take care of…” he started to lean into Jack unable to hold himself up. His last whispered word before he collapsed was “myself.”

Jack caught him before he hit the floor. “Daniel? Damn it, Daniel, I’m sorry! It’s this damn virus, you know. No you don’t know. I haven’t told you. But I'll tell you as soon as you wake up. Come on, Daniel, wake up! I need to tell you I didn’t mean all those stupid things I said.” The anger was gone. Jack babbled on as he stripped Daniel out of his wet clothes and covered him with the blanket. He needed to get himself under control. Daniel was sick, feverish, soaked to the skin and Jack was yelling at him. “You can take care of yourself right after I get you to Janet. Open your eyes, Daniel.” He rubbed the cold arms and legs trying to get some circulation going. 

With a groan, Daniel opened his eyes. “What happened this time?” he asked groggily.

Jack sat back, relieved. “I’m not sure,” Jack answered. “You were yelling at me and then you collapsed.

“I was yelling at you?” Daniel blinked a couple of times, “Oh, shit Jack!” He attempted to get up but Jack pushed him back on the floor.

“Stay put, Daniel. I’m not sure I can catch you again. This knee’s had about all it can take for one night.”

Daniel pulled an arm up to cover his eyes. “Jack, I’m so sorry, what I said, I didn’t mean it.”

“Daniel, it’s okay,” Jack said reassuringly. “It’s a virus of some kind. Frasier called and wants us both back at the mountain.” He looked down to see if Daniel was listening but his arm was still up covering his eyes. “It seems you, me, and Carter contracted some weird alien bug.”

“A virus?” Daniel asked his voice muffled.

“Yep.”

“Again?” Daniel said lowering his arm.

That’s more like it, Jack thought. 

“Yep.”

Daniel sighed. “Janet wants to do tests, doesn’t she?” he asked in resignation.

“Yep,” Jack answered with a grin. Looking at Daniel smiling back at him he remembered his purpose in coming. “I told Janet I’d bring us both back. Do you think you’ll be okay here while I go get some dry clothes…for both of us.” He asked hesitantly, unsure of his place here at the moment. Daniel’s outburst, while obviously the result of the alien germ, had still surprised Jack. He’d never thought his actions were unwelcome. He’d always acted in Daniel’s best interests, even when Daniel didn’t see it that way. Maybe he needed to rethink his behavior in light of recent events. He wasn't Daniel's mother and he never meant to imply that Daniel wasn't capable of looking after himself. Although sometimes....That was for later. Right now, he needed to get them to some help.

Daniel looked up in surprise. Jack sounded so tentative. Then he remembered his harsh words. Alien virus or not, he had no excuse for treating a friend that way. It was reprehensible. Jack was always the one who looked out for him and took care of him. How could he say such things to his best friend? He was surprised Jack was still here. He should have left long ago in disgust. Certainly Daniel was disgusted with himself. But Jack was too good a leader to do that. He wouldn’t leave until everyone in his command was taken care of.

He started to pull himself up saying, “No, Jack, I’ll go. Your knee’s bothering you,” when he noticed that he was naked under the blanket. “On second thought….”

Jack smiled at Daniel trying to reassure him. There was a funny look on Daniel’s face, one of sadness—and maybe fear. He knew he needed to apologize to Daniel for his thoughtless words (he seemed to be doing a lot of that), but later. Right now, they needed to get back to the infirmary. “Good. You stay put. I don’t think I want you wandering around any more than is absolutely necessary. You’ve passed out on me twice already. Don’t go anywhere, okay? No more long walks in the rain?”

Despite his embarrassment, Daniel had to smile. “No more long walks in the rain. When we’re in the truck do you think you could tell me how I managed the first long walk in the rain?”

************************************************

The heat in the car wasn't enough. Daniel was still trembling. Dry clothes and even a blanket couldn't warm him. He tucked his hands under the blanket trying to hide their shaking from the man driving. He looked at Jack’s face, the green streaks running into a blur. The words in the temple reverberated in his head to the swish of the windshield wipers: “The truth unleashed here will kill us. Save us, all. The truth unleashed here will kill us. Save us, all.” He saw the lightening flash again making the bones in Jack’s face look like a skull. 

No, wait. Not lightening. This was the infirmary. The light glared above him. He was staring at the fluorescent light in the ceiling. How could he be staring at the light? He looked at Jack’s face again. The eyes were open wide, the fear behind them stabbing at Daniel. Jack was falling, going over the cliff, hanging on to Daniel. He could feel the hands on his shoulders. Jack was yelling at him. He heard his name angry, afraid, loud, over and over again. Jack was falling over the edge of the cliff. He clung to his friend, clutching at him, pulling him back. It wasn’t enough. The lightening flashed again and he felt himself falling.

“Janet!” Jack grabbed a hold of Daniel easing him to the floor. “Janet! Teal’c!” They'd made it as far as the elevator before Daniel collapsed. He needed help now. Daniel’s body felt stiff under his hands and the eyes were open but unseeing. God! Now what?

“Colonel?”

He heard Janet calling him, and felt her kneel beside him but he couldn’t take his eyes off Daniel. The look of terror on Daniel’s face was enough to send chills down Jack’s spine.

“Colonel--Jack, you have to let go now.” Janet’s firm order echoed in his ear. “We have him. You have to let him go now.”

“I can’t,” Jack gasped.

It was true. Daniel had the sleeves of Jack’s shirt gripped in each fist and Jack couldn’t move away. Teal’c knelt on one side and Janet on the other. They each pried one of Daniel’s hands away from Jack who watched as the twisted fingers appeared in front of him. Daniel was still so stiff the hands wouldn’t close.

“Dr. Frasier will care for him O’Neill.” 

Teal’c’s voice sounded far away. Jack wanted to get up off the floor. His knee felt like it was being sliced apart; his arms tingled from the pincher grip of Daniel’s hands, and his entire body felt heavy. 

“T?”

“Colonel O’Neill?” That was Dr. Warner’s voice. “Can you get up?” 

“I’m fine,” Jack said, knowing that he was stealing one of Daniel’s lines. “I need to see Daniel.” 

“Dr. Frasier is taking care of Dr. Jackson,” Warner said in his detached voice. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“Teal’c? Daniel?” His body still didn’t want to move but he needed to know about Daniel. 

“Dr. Frasier has taken Daniel Jackson for tests. She will look after him, O’Neill. Dr. Warner would like you to lie down.” 

Teal’c understood. Jack let himself be lifted to the bed that seemed to loom up out of nowhere.

************************************************

I don’t understand, Carter.” Jack paced back and forth watching Daniel toss and turn in the next bed. Janet had shooed him away when she came to get Daniel’s vital signs. “Why are you and I all right and Daniel’s burning up not five feet away from us?”

“Possibly because we were only in the temple for a short time,” Sam answered. “I was the least infected because I was only in the cave for a few minutes while I helped Daniel finish up the video taping. You were infected more because you spend a couple of hours in there helping Daniel, and he’s infected the most because he was in there for almost twenty-four hours over the course of three days.”

“So if were fine, then Daniel should be fine in a few hours—right?” He turned back to Carter.

“I wouldn’t count on it, Colonel,” Janet said coming up to Sam’s bed. She gave Jack the once over with her eyes, irritated that she hadn’t been able to keep him in bed more than a couple of hours. After his collapse, he’d slept briefly, dragged himself out of bed, and parked himself in a chair by Daniel’s bed where he’d been for the last hour. 

She braced herself to deliver bad news. “I’m sorry, Sir, Sam. The fever’s getting worse and I don’t know how to get it under control. He’s not responding to any of the medications we’ve given him. He’s awake off and on, but he won’t respond to me.”

“And?” Jack asked in a controlled voice. He, too, had noticed Daniel’s withdrawal into himself. Every time he tried to talk to Daniel he felt like a door slammed on him. Daniel’s face would contort and his fists clench until he fell asleep or passed out, Jack couldn’t tell which. The doctor hadn’t answered his question. “Doc?”

She wanted to lie and tell them everything would be all right but she couldn’t. They needed to hear the truth. “And if I can’ t get the fever under control in the next few hours,” she paused to take a deep breath, “if the fever doesn’t come down, it could cause brain damage.”

“Brain damage?” Sam was aghast.

“What else, Doc?” 

She looked directly at Colonel O’Neill. “It could kill him.”

Jack swallowed hard. 

Teal'c said, “On the planet, Daniel Jackson said that everyone on the planet died of an unknown disease.”

The last words of a now extinct civilization. Jack remembered. Daniel’s sadness as he read the inscription on the wall was palpable. His fingers brushed reverently over the last words of a race destroyed by an unseen assailant. Even Jack, hardly the sentimental type, had been moved by the words: The truth unleashed here will kill us. Save us, all. A last desperate plea from a doomed people. 

“There’s only one problem with that theory, Teal’c,” Sam said. “We’re not dead.” 

“And were not going to be,” Jack added. “Right?” 

“There’s no sign of the virus in your system,” Janet said. “It seems to have run its course. To the best of my knowledge you’re both fine, although you could both use some more sleep.”

Jack chose to ignore the last comment. “So what’s going on? Why are we alive, the people on the planet dead, and Daniel burning up with a fever?” 

“Something’s different,” Sam whispered. 

“Come on, Carter,” Jack said, waving his arms in agitation. “We’re missing something here. What are we missing?”

Janet interrupted. “The best way to approach this may be to go back through what happened to you after you got sick. What did you do, what did you say? What did you feel?”

“We felt angry, Janet,” Sam said.

“I know, Sam. What did you _do_ about it?”

“I yelled,” Sam said in embarrassment. 

“You did indeed,” Teal’c commented. “I have never seen Major Carter so angry.”

Janet picked up on this. “Never, Teal’c? You sure?”

“Major Carter expressed her anger most vehemently,” Teal’c said thoughtfully. “Her anger was directed at us.”

“Us?” Janet asked.

“She was angry with me for keeping her in the infirmary. She was most angry with O’Neill.”

“Me?” Jack asked in surprise. “I wasn’t even here. What were you angry at me for?”

It was hard to see Carter’s face because she’d put her head down on her knees. She seemed to be blushing. 

Teal’c answered for her. “She was angry for you for leaving her in Antarctica.”

“Leaving? I didn’t go anywhere,” Jack replied. He most definitely hadn’t gone anywhere. Near the end of the ordeal, freezing to death, and at the end of his strength, he’d been pretty sure he wasn’t ever going to go anywhere again. He fully expected to fall asleep and not wake up. Oh! That kind of going anywhere.

Sam’s voice was muffled by the blanket. It sounded like, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. It’s called survivor guilt.”

Carter’s glare put Jack in his place. She didn’t want the proper platitudes. She wanted the understanding of a friend.

“I’d miss you too, Carter.” Jack cleared his throat. “Well, that’s very interesting but it doesn’t get us any closer to helping Daniel. You got sick, you got angry. So what?”

Janet had been listening carefully. “I think Sam’s onto something, Sir.” 

Jack wanted this process to be over. Daniel was tossing and turning in the next bed. He seemed to be getting worse. “Doc, do you think you could speed this up?”

“Be patient, Sir.” She followed Jack’s eyes to Daniel’s bed. “I know, I see it. But we need to figure this out. Tell me what happened to you.”

Jack didn’t want to relive his irrational anger with anyone but if it would help Daniel…. “I got mad,” he said uncomfortably. “I yelled at Daniel.”

“That’s hardly news, Sir,” Carter muttered.

“No, Sam, you’re wrong,” Janet said. “I know this is hard for you, Sir, but I need to know what you were feeling when you were angry with Daniel.”

“Oh, you know, the same old same old. Only more so.” Even knowing that it had been the work of an alien virus, Jack felt terrible about the way he’d treated Daniel. “You going somewhere with this, Doc?”

“Did Daniel display any anger?” Janet asked. 

“On the planet,” Teal’c said. “He was very short-tempered with all of us.”

“I thought he was just tired,” Sam added.

“What about since his return?” Janet asked.

“A couple of times,” Jack said. “He was pretty mad at me when I was sitting on him in his backyard.”

“Sir?”

“Long story, Carter.” But one that was staring to make more sense in retrospect. 

Janet got them back on topic. “How long did it last?”

“Not long. And not at all after we got in the truck.” He thought back to Daniel’s behavior on the ride back. He’d noticed Daniel clenching and unclenching his hands and the tight, pursed lips. He attributed it to the pain of Daniel’s injuries not to an alien bug. 

“All of this is interesting, but how does it help?” Jack felt his frustration grow. 

“Daniel Jackson needs to get angry.” Teal’c said.

“He's right,” Sam said. “Somehow or other, we need to make Daniel mad.”

*************************************************

Jack knew he needed to get Daniel to break—quickly, before he collapsed. He watched Daniel stand inside the doorway of the isolation room, a look of confusion on his face. Unwillingly, Janet had forced Daniel to wake up and led him as far as the door of this room where Jack was waiting. He was beginning to doubt the wisdom of their plan. He’d begged and pleaded with Janet to get her to go along with this. Carter had supported him and so had Teal’c but now that they were here, he was having second thoughts. 

The plan was to get Daniel so angry, he’d be cured. Even as he thought it, he realized how stupid it sounded. Yet there didn’t seem to be any other explanation. He and Carter got mad and got better. Daniel didn’t—at least not enough. Jack needed to make Daniel mad enough that he got better. That shouldn’t be too hard. Right?

Jack hoped it was that simple—because Daniel was running out of time.

Looking at the groggy archaeologist in front of him, Jack struggled to find the words to make Daniel angry--not in an “I’m fighting for a cause and you need to listen to me” kind of way, but in a “I’m going to knock you down if you don’t shut up” kind of way. That kind of anger wasn’t easy for Daniel. In fact, except for the planet and Daniel's house this past night, Jack couldn’t remember seeing that kind of anger from Daniel ever. But that was what he needed. What they both needed. 

For Jack it was an easy thing. You got mad at someone, you yelled at someone, you went on. He did it all the time, often with Daniel. It was a way of letting off steam and expressing his feelings (such as they were). He wasn't good at the feelings thing. He didn’t analyze them or even worry about them. Most of the time they were like background noise, something you noticed but not something you paid much attention to. 

For all his protestations to the contrary, Daniel was the same way. Unlike Jack, he was acutely aware of the feelings of others; it was part of what made him such a good communicator. He really was the peaceful explorer he claimed to be. But as for being in touch with his own feelings--no. Daniel never acknowledged that he needed anyone or anything. As proof of how disconnected Daniel was, it had taken a cranky air force colonel, an overly intelligent physicist, and an alien from another planet to make Daniel see that he could, should, and would learn to rely on others for his emotional well-being. Jack thought it would be a good idea if his accident-prone friend would rely on them for his physical well-being as well, but he’d stopped believing in miracles ages ago.

Nevertheless, a miracle was what he was hoping for. Looking at Daniel standing in front of him, he knew Daniel’s strength was giving out. He looked as if a stiff breezed would blow him over. Weaving back and forth in front of Jack, his face was flushed and his eyes glazed. Jack wished there was another way. Daniel was in no shape to deal with what his friend, a person he trusted, was about to put him through. Jack himself wanted to go home and sleep for a week. Frasier assured him that it was just his body’s way of healing itself, that the need for sleep would pass, but at the moment it was taking all the stamina he possessed to stand upright. How much worse it must be for Daniel. 

Jack took a deep breath. The sooner they finished this ordeal, the sooner he could have Daniel back in the infirmary. He needed to make Daniel angry, so angry he’d experience an adrenaline rush capable of defeating the virus racing through his system. He just wasn’t sure how to start. Maybe he should rely on the old standbys. He’d irritate Daniel and push him until he cracked. Daniel’s usual strategy when faced with an emotional dilemma was to retreat into himself, usually in his office or in the confines of his house. Jack couldn’t let that happen this time. He made sure the isolation room was locked. Keeping Daniel from shutting _him_ out--well, Jack didn’t have any idea how to do that.

“Jack?”

Here we go, Jack thought.

“Daniel, you should sit down before you fall down,” Jack said in his most condescending voice.

“I’m fine,” Daniel replied.

Jack breathed an internal sigh of relief. So far, Daniel was sticking to the script. “You’re not fine. You look like a sheet blowing in the wind. Get into bed before Frasier sticks one of her needles into you. She’s already mad at you for being out in the rain.”

Daniel didn’t respond. He stood looking stupidly at Jack. Frightened, Jack thought he was too late. Maybe Daniel was too far-gone to even be aware of his surroundings. He decided to try again. “You had a lot of nerve, sending me home like that. I should have been there to help you. As it is, you’ve probably got pneumonia.”

“I can take care of myself.”

Jack moved to Daniel’s right making him turn. He needed to keep Daniel focused on him. “You can take care of yourself? Then what are we doing back at the mountain?”

Daniel had to think before he could answer. “There was a virus...from.... We caught it, you and me and Sam.” Daniel put his hand up to the side of his head. “Sam’s sick. I need to see her.”

“Sam’s fine,” Jack said. “You’re the one that’s sick. Get into bed. Follow an order for once in your life.” 

“I follow orders,” Daniel said angrily.

Good, Jack thought, a button he could push. “You only follow orders when it suits your purposes, Daniel. You buck my authority every chance you get.” 

Jack closed his eyes for a minute his own exhaustion making him his words clumsy. Daniel never disobeyed orders without a reason. He was accusing Daniel of something that wasn't true. He knew that. Surely Daniel knew that. This was much more difficult than he'd imagined. 

He rubbed fingers along his temple trying to soothe the headache building there when he heard Daniel's voice.

“...ship--blow up the ship. I followed orders that time, didn't I. Well, didn't I?” Daniel was red in the face. He held his clenched fists at his sides.

Jack cursed himself for not paying better attention. Damn! They were back to the damn ship. He thought they’d talked about this. Jack had apologized again and again to Daniel for blowing up the Gadmeer ship. Daniel had repeatedly told him that he understood, that he would never fault Jack for acting to save an entire race of people; that he would have done the same, given the option. He’d even gone so far as to _thank_ Jack for blowing up the ship. He said it was the catalyst for him to come up with a unique and novel solution to the problem. Because of Daniel’s stalwart support, Hammond had only put a reprimand in Jack’s personnel folder. He could have charged Jack with insubordination and thrown the book at him.

Maybe he’d been wrong about Daniel’s feelings. After all, that was why they were here, to get Daniel to face his feelings, to unleash whatever anger he had bottled up inside. The only thing Jack could do was to go along for the ride. 

He swallowed convulsively. The one thing he knew he’d never be able to tell Daniel was that he was glad he’d blown up the ship, not even if it would make Daniel angry, not even if it would save his life. That was lie Jack couldn’t say. He’d died his own death the day he’d given the order to blow the ship. “Daniel, I told you before, I had no choice. If you hadn’t gone back to the ship--against my orders I’d like to point out--”

“No!” Daniel yelled hoarsely, effectively stopping Jack mid sentence. “Not that ship. You made me blow _you_ up. You ordered me to blow up the Russian ship--the sub.” 

Daniel stood in front of Jack until they were almost nose-to-nose. “You made me kill you, you bastard. You made me give the order.”

“I told Davis to blow the ship,” Jack said confused. Not the Gadmeer ship, the Russian sub. He had no idea Daniel blamed him for what went on that day. He didn’t remember a lot of the details, being rather more concerned with the dozens of mechanical bugs crawling over his back and up his legs. Still, he was certain he’d given Davis the order to blow the sub.

“You told me first to go ahead and blow it. You said you didn’t want to die with bugs eating....Davis wouldn’t blow the ship until I gave him the okay.” Daniel’s words were coming out in small gasps, his chest heaving. “He waited for me to tell him....”

A little more. Daniel was almost there. Jack needed to push a little more but he needed to figure out exactly what would push Daniel to really explode—soon, very soon. It wouldn’t be enough for Jack to comment on the fact that he’d finally listened to something Jack said and actually obeyed an order. Daniel would probably laugh at that. It wouldn’t even be enough to comment on the fact that destroying the ship was necessary to save the world. Daniel knew that; he’d sent them back to the ship knowing they had to destroy the mother bug. 

“It wouldn’t have mattered if I’d been killed, Daniel. I’m a military man, a cog in the wheel. I knew the risks going in.” Jack looked to see Daniel’s face contort in rage. It was time to let him have it. “How long are you going to work for the military before you figure it out? I’m expendable; you know that.” He licked his lips hoping to hell he was doing the right thing. “My death wouldn’t matter. Not to the military, not to you, not to anyone else.”

“Expendable? Wouldn’t matter?” Daniel hissed. “You son-of-a-bitch!” Daniel spit the words like venom before he launched himself at Jack.

Jack saw the fist come up. As proud as he was of the fact that he knew how to push Daniel to the limit, he also knew this was going to hurt. Daniel had learned a lot of things during his association with the military, not how to accept death stoically—Jack was counting on that fact--but he knew how to throw a punch. Jack braced himself calculating the trajectory of his fall. He was glad he was going to fall to the right. He didn’t thing his left knee could take another beating today. He steeled himself for the blow and closed his eyes.

The impact never came. The loud crash of an overturned cart made Jack open his eyes. He looked down to see Daniel laying in a heap on the floor the cart and its contents on top of him. 

“Shit!’ Jack bent down wincing with pain. Daniel was totally unresponsive. He searched for the call button to get Frasier.

The doctor must have been waiting outside the door because she was in the room and kneeling beside Daniel before the colonel ever got to the button. She and her orderlies had him on a gurney and on his way back to the infirmary before Jack could even get up off the floor.

“Colonel?”

Jack didn’t need to her to finish the question.

“I don’t know. He took a swing before he passed out, but I don’t know if it was enough.” He looked to see Daniel’s hand still clenched into a fist. He wanted to reach over and unravel the fingers.

Janet placed her hand on his shoulder giving it a squeeze before she hurried off to care for their friend.

 

An hour later, Jack’s voice could be heard all the way down the hall. Teal’c entered the infirmary to see Dr. Frasier and O’Neill engaged in a standoff. He stood and listened. 

“I’m not leaving until he wakes up.”

“Colonel O’Neill. If you don’t leave this infirmary, I will have you sedated and placed in one of these beds.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh, really? Would you like to test that theory?”

Teal’c stood and watched the proceedings from Major Carter’s bedside. “Is Colonel O’Neill still infected with the alien virus? He appears to be quite agitated.”

“No, Teal’c,” Sam answered with a smile. “He’s just being Colonel Jack O’Neill.” She looked at her puzzled teammate. “He wants to stay with Daniel and Janet wants him to get some sleep. Janet insists he’s still recuperating and needs to get some rest, and the colonel insists he’s fine he’s not leaving until Daniel wakes up.”

Teal’c didn’t appear convinced.

“Honest Teal’c. The colonel and I are both fine.” 

“And Daniel Jackson?”

“From the blood work, Janet thinks the virus is gone. As far as we can tell, he’s just sleeping.”

Still unconvinced, Teal’c moved to stand beside Doctor Frasier.

“Colonel, I’m telling you, you need to get some sleep.”

“Perhaps O’Neill could rest in the open bed while I watch Daniel Jackson,” he suggested addressing his remarks to Dr. Frasier while keeping his eyes on O’Neill. He could see the lines of pain and exhaustion on O'Neill's face. Without waiting for the doctor’s approval, he took his friend by the arm and led him to the empty bed. “I will call you if there is any change,” he promised. Gently he pushed the colonel back on the bed.

Jack sank down, too tired to put up any more resistance. “Any change, Teal’c. You call me,” Jack mumbled. He lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. 

“Thank you, Teal’c,” Janet sighed gratefully. “He needs to rest. It won’t do him or Daniel any good if he gets sick.” She turned back to Daniel checking the instrument readings one more time before she went to check on Sam.

Teal’c bent down to look at Daniel Jackson. The raspy sound of his breathing worried Teal’c as it undoubtedly worried O’Neill and Major Carter. Doctor Frasier assured all of them that the raspy breathing was due to a cold. She assured them it was unrelated to the alien virus--just a typically Daniel Jackson type of unfortunate occurrence. Taking a seat between the two beds, Teal’c settled in for his vigil.

************************************************

Halloween had come and gone but you'd never know it from the look of the coffee table. Candy corn, tiny chocolate bars, orange filled double stuff Oreos, and spider rings littered the table. The team had gathered at O'Neill's with the excuse that they'd missed the chance to celebrate Halloween together. They'd all been released from the infirmary, even Daniel. Frasier had run every test on him she could think of and finally declared the alien virus gone. She'd given him an armload of medicine, some for his cold and cough, some for his sore muscles, and sent him home with Colonel O'Neill where, she knew, Daniel would be well cared for. 

Jack was trying hard to regain his equilibrium with Daniel. The last few days had been difficult on both of them. He could tell that Daniel didn't feel well and that he should be lying down. He knew Janet had left explicit instructions for Daniel to rest. And Daniel hadn't done it. Jack wanted to tell Daniel to stop being so stubborn and go take a nap but he didn't. After Daniel's earlier outbursts he was afraid that Daniel would take it the wrong way and accuse him of being overbearing and overprotective. 

Carter and Teal'c were sitting by the VCR arguing about what video they were going to watch. 

Jack and Daniel sat silently side by side on the couch.

Daniel looked over at Jack and quickly looked down at the floor. “We said some pretty awful things to each other.”

Jack froze, unable to look Daniel in the eye. He was sure Daniel had understood why he’d pushed the way he had. He didn't mean any of it. Daniel must know that. If he didn’t, then what damage had he done to their friendship with his cruel words? Up until a couple of days ago, he'd been convinced if anything happened to him, Daniel of all people, would miss him. No one was expendable to Daniel, no one. The scene in the isolation room had been an act staged to make Daniel as mad as he could get him.

God, if he’d hurt Daniel….His worst memory of the planet was the feeling that he could have hurt Daniel. His worst memory in the isolation room was the memory blowing up the Gadmeer ship and hurting Daniel. He didn’t care if it was a virus or not, he never wanted to hurt Daniel again. 

“Daniel,” Jack said. “I thought you understood—"

“I’m sorry.” Daniel cut him off. 

Surprise made Jack look directly at Daniel. His face was a mask of anguish. 

“I’m sorry,” he grabbed Jack's wrist. “I’d never say those things if I wasn't.... I…I didn’t mean any of those things.” 

The words fell out of Daniel’s mouth increasing in speed as his anguish grew.

“God, Jack! How could you listen to me say that stuff? How can you sit here now? I pushed you against a wall, I tried to take a swing at you.” Daniel squeezed Jack’s wrist so tight it made him wince. Seeing the pained expression on Jack’s face Daniel let go pulling his hand back and grasping it to his chest. He was slowly moving as far away from Jack as he could get, inching himself into the corner of he couch. 

It reminded Jack of the scene in the living room before their fight in the rain, a time when Daniel, sick and feverish, had been afraid of his best friend, Jack O'Neill.

Jack was stunned. Daniel thought he was angry? He needed a minute to regroup. How could Daniel think he’d done anything wrong? 

Not getting an answer from Jack, Daniel dropped his head into his hands, his eyes closed. It was as if he could make Jack go away if he didn’t look up. 

Jack snapped out of his reverie. 

Daniel,” he said sharply.

Daniel refused to look up.

“Daniel,” he said. “Look at me.” He waited patiently until he could see more than the top of Daniel's head. “You had every right to say what you said. For one thing, you were sick. If you hadn’t said those things you’d probably still be in the infirmary. For another...you were right.”

He could see Daniel start to shake his head. Jack stopped him.

“Yes, Daniel. You were right. I do get...overprotective...sometimes.” Now it was Jack’s turn to look down. “I’m kind of glad you got sick.” The silence between them was heavy. Daniel hadn’t moved away but he hadn’t said anything either. Jack continued, “I never wanted to hurt you. I never want to see you hurt. All those things you said, they’re true. I just…I didn’t know what else to do to make you mad and I knew you _needed_ to get mad. If you hadn't....” Jack couldn’t continue. He’d said Daniel would still be in the infirmary. From what Janet had told him, Daniel could have been dead, poisoned by his own body with the help of an alien virus. Jack closed his eyes.

He felt Daniel’s hand on his arm. He looked over to see the understanding in Daniel's eyes. “The truth unleashed here will kill us,” Daniel said softy.

“It didn't,” Jack said quickly.

“No, it didn't.” He tightened his hand on Jack's arm. “That’s it,” he said with a gasp. “Jack, that's it!” The words set off a round of coughing and he doubled over his hand clutching at the couch cushion beside him. 

“Shit, Daniel,” Jack exclaimed. “Do you need me to call Frasier?” He looked over at Carter who was watching Daniel in concern.

“No,” Daniel gasped. “Fine. Medicine.” He waved his hand and Teal’c correctly interpreted the gesture and set off for the bedroom.

“I’ll get some water,” Carter said, rising to go to the kitchen.

Jack rubbed Daniel’s back until the coughing subsided.

“I figured it out, Jack,” Daniel whispered. He didn’t want to start coughing again. 

“Take it easy,” Jack said. He tried easing his friend back on the couch but Daniel was too tense.

He weakly pushed Jack’s hand away. “I figured out the writing on the temple wall. I got it wrong the first time. I had the wrong punctuation.”

Daniel started to shift around in excitement, his revelation making him careless, and Jack put a restraining hand on his arm. Carter knelt before him holding a glass of water and Teal'c stood above him with his pills. 

“Sorry, sorry, Jack.” Daniel tried to stay still while his mind was working a mile a minute. He looked at Jack. “It didn’t say ‘The truth unleashed here will kill us. Save us, all.’ It said,” Daniel took a cautious breath before he continued, “it said, ‘The truth unleashed here will kill us--save us all.’” 

Jack didn’t see the difference. Teal’c and Carter looked equally puzzled.

“Don’t you see?” Daniel asked. “It’s not an ultimatum, it’s an option.”

“What option?” Sam asked handing him the glass of water. “I don’t’ see the difference.”

“It says the truth will kill us if we don’t acknowledge it. It will save us if we recognize it and accept it.” His raspy voice faded away.

Carter leaned forward in alarm. “You okay?” 

For a minute, Daniel was too short of breath to answer.

Jack put his arm around Daniel trying again to pull him back to rest. Despite the fact that he was now shivering he refused to move. 

“What happened to the people of the planet?” Teal’c asked. He passed Daniel the medicine and waited until he had swallowed the correct dose. 

Hands trembling, he passed Teal'c the cup. “I don’t know,” he whispered.

“Maybe they figured out the virus was dangerous and left through the Stargate,” Carter offered. She noticed Daniel's hands trembling and she was sure the colonel had as well. She wanted to comfort Daniel in the hopes that he would relax and rest. “It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve see a planet abandoned because the people moved elsewhere.” She hoped that Daniel would see that as a positive thing. “Maybe they faced the truth and left the planet to start over.”

“Perhaps they all died,” Teal’c said.

Carter glared at him. 

“No,” Daniel muttered, “Some of them must have been saved; they must have survived. They knew the answer, they knew the truth. It doesn’t make sense otherwise.” He cleared his throat.

"You believe they discovered this truth in time?" Teal'c asked.

“Don’t talk,” Jack insisted. He moved into the corner of the couch and forcibly pulled Daniel against him. It was time to take the stubborn archaeologist in hand before he made himself sick—sicker. “Don’t talk Daniel. You’ll just start coughing again.” He could tell Daniel was trying to resist. “And if you do I’ll call Janet.” 

Daniel scowled at him, noticeably without talking.

“You can be as angry at me as you want, Daniel, but the _truth_ is, you need to get some sleep and we're going to make sure you do.” Jack felt better. So maybe he was overprotective where Daniel was concerned. Tough. Daniel was just going to have to deal with it because Jack wasn't going anywhere, and neither were Carter or Teal'c. He pulled Daniel's shoulder to settle him against the couch.

Daniel started to chuckle and then stopped himself. He had no doubt Jack would follow through on his threat. He was only home because he’d begged Janet to let him go, promising to look after himself. Janet had only agreed when Jack said he’d check up on him. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, and that he was so tired he couldn’t stay awake any longer, and that it was really nice to have someone here to look after him, he allowed Jack to pull him until his head hit the back of the couch. His eyes were heavy but the pressure in his chest started to ease. He needed to remember to tell Jack that the truth had saved them. When he woke up, he had to tell Jack he'd figured it out. His eyes drifted shut.

Jack pulled Daniel closer until his head was resting on Jack’s shoulder. 

After a few minutes, Jack asked softly, “What truth, Teal’c?” He swallowed hard and tightened his hold on Daniel. 

“The truth about how we feel, sir,” Carter said. “The truth about how we feel about one another.”

Jack’s face was a dark cloud. He refused to believe some obscure nonsense on a wall on a distant planet. 

“Daniel’s never been angry before,” Sam’s voice held a certain amount of amazement.

“You sleeping when we ran into Aphothis, were you Carter?”

Carter shrugged it off. “That was an enemy. Daniel’s never been mad at a friend, at least he’s never acknowledged it before. Because he keeps it all bottled up inside. He’s never been mad at us.” 

She looked at her CO and smiled. “He doesn’t know that it’s okay to be mad at someone who leaves you behind or someone who asks you to do something you don't want to do.”

Jack saw the piercing look Carter gave him. The memories of Antarctica were raw for them both. It was a lesson Jack wouldn't soon forget, that as much as he cared for them, they cared back. Jack was used to being the protector of this merry band of misfits. Sometimes he forgot that other people felt the same way. Carter in Antarctica, Daniel with the sub. They'd both been angry with him because they cared about him, because they didn't want to leave him behind. 

“Daniel Jackson does not know that _that_ is what friends do.” Teal'c pulled the blanket off the back of the couch to spread over Daniel's legs.

Jack looked at the man whose head was resting on his shoulder.

“So you’re telling me,” Jack said to his teammates, “that it’s okay for friends to be mad at one another, and that Daniel finally figured it out?”

“Oh, yes Sir,” Carter answered. 

“I have been angry with you on several occasions, O’Neill.”

Jack looked at his Jaffa friend trying to decide if he was joking. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that they were friends. All of them knew the truth and it hadn’t killed any of them. The anger was as much a part of their friendship as the laughter. Not nearly as much fun, Jack thought, but still part of what made them a good team, and good friends. They could get angry with one another, disagree with one another, even yell at one another, and still get together for candy corn, and cookies, and chocolate.

“Then Daniel’s going to be mad tomorrow.” Jack said. “I’m finishing the cookies. Pass the Oreos.”

“Touch those Oreos and die,” came a soft voice from Jack’s shoulder. Daniel shifted a little until his head was in Jack’s lap.

“Is he even awake?” Jack asked in a whisper.

Carter smiled and shrugged while Teal’c peered closely at Daniel’s face.

“I believe he is asleep, O’Neill.”

Jack mouthed the words, “Then pass me a cookie.”

Careful not to crinkle the wrapper Sam pulled the last of the Oreos out of the box and passed them around. Jack handed her one back.

She raised an eyebrow questioningly. 

He looked down at Daniel, then back at Carter.

She got it. She left the last cookie on the table for Daniel.


End file.
